The new store, in Dubai Marina Mall, has been opened in partnership with Liwa Trading Enterprises.

M&Co announced in March it has signed a franchise agreement with Liwa Trading Enterprises, the retail arm of Al Nasser Holdings, to open 30 stores in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman.

M&Co said it plans to add as many as 50 international franchise stores within the next five years, dependent upon market conditions.

Plans for two further store openings in Abu Dhabi have now been scaled back to one, with a new store expected to open in the Al Wadha Mall in the autumn.

M&Co said it is also looking to expand its franchise network in Serbia, Russia, Ukraine, India and China as well as South America and North Africa.

Lee Braid, international franchise manager at M&Co, said: “We are extremely excited to have opened our second store in the UAE.

“Our partners Liwa Trading Enterprises are continuing to work towards the overall development plan of 30 stores across the GCC, with a number of stores planned across the UAE for the autumn and next spring.

“We are also planning our first store outside of the UAE to be in Qatar.”

M&Co stared out in Clydebank in 1953 as Mackays Drapers and has grown to become Scotland's largest independent fashion retailer.

The company operates 285 stores across the UK employing 3,500 people and generates sales of £186.9 million last year.